Odlin's Lounge Karekare, North Island, New Zealand
By Pararaha Eel Watching Club on 28-Sep-13. Waypoint GC4QQ5F

Archiving until the Kauri Dieback situation is resolved to the point if/when access can be restored.

Disabled for the duration of the Rahui placed by Te Kawerau a Maki. Further info here http://tekawerau.iwi.nz/

On our way down Pararaha Creek this was the first find of the day. Cool hint , TFTC.

Almost had me stumped. No gps or coordinates just going from memory. Good spot.

This was our first find for ou second paragraph a caching expedition, as there is now a lot more caches in the area. This was an easy find, we just went to the FZ and found the most furniture-like object around! TFTC.

#820
FITW Jag50, Rustynz, Gorby, Vistra, YK83, and Agazo
last one for the day.. now a lot of steps to climb back to the car park. tftc.

The last cache of the day, now just the staircase back to the parking area. TFTC.

The last of the caches to be found by us today. We were now wet, dirty and glad to be heading to the carpark for some dry clothes and additioanl food. Enjoyed our day with the group of harisree, rustynz, gorby, vistra, yorkshirekiwi83 and agazo.

Last traditional found today! looks like area well visited, as the ground cover seemed quite bare? Well I was following the GPS, and yorkshirekiwi83 must have had a her geo-senses going, as she split off to the right, and soon after called out she had found it!

The container was a little wet, we dried it out the best we could, then wiped and checked the seals of the container, hopefully it makes a difference. We have removed the soaked log for the bin, and hopefully the new log will be good for the next visitor.

Its the last part of the walk, and I can imagine this orange type mud can be very slippery in winter. Its the final section, lots of steps, and so far we have not lost anyone, always a good sign So its gorby, yorkshirekiwi83, vistra, jag50, harisree, agazo and myself who now make their way to the finish, the end of an amazing day.

Met with a group of cachers (Gorby, Hariscree, Azargo, Vistra, rustynz, Jag50) at Groby's event early this morning and headed down the track, and back up the stream.

Last one for the day before tackling that massive amount of steps back to the road and the carpark. Gorby replaced the log and we signed the new one. TFTC

**For information on the 2016 New Zealand Geocaching Adventure being held in Turangi, go to...**
[2016 New Zealand Geocaching Adventure](http://www.nzgeocachingadventure.nz)

Out with nigelbarnes11 for a day of hiking and caching. Came down Buck Taylor track and up the paharaha valley. Found easily enough but full to the top with water! Definitely needs som tlc! Tftc

Full of water! Needs a new everything!

Odlin's lounge chair now comes equiped with a swimming pool, in the form of a cache. Dained the pool but log book is beyond my drying skills today.

Stopped here for a rest after coming down ruts and muddy declines. I also had a quick look down the Pararaha Stream track which I would like to do at another time then went back to the lounge to hunt for the cache. I looked at a couple of potential Lounge chairs but no luck until I came across what had to be the Lounge chair and sure enough the cache was under it. The cache had a bit of water in it so emptied it out, could still sign the log. This is the last find of the day. TFTC.

Odlin's Lounge was transferred from Paultaps to user Greenblat

Out for a wander in the Waitakeres with evilno9 and Gorbygorbachov for the day. We headed down the Pararaha gorge and then back via Muir / Walker Ridge / Odlins Timber Tracks and back to the car some 10 hours later and all up 19km. A very memorable day and what is arguably the most scenic place in the Waitakeres. My first mission down the Pararaha and loved every minute of it.

This was the first stop for the day and my first taste of the Pararaha Stream. The others had already found this one but we still took a few minutes to find it. Signed log and carried on our journey ahead, TFTC!

TFTC

Out in the Waitakeres with ajp49 and a group from work for our annual trip down the gorge. TFTC

It has only been a couple of weeks since I was last in the area collecting a few other caches so back here once again to see what else we can find in the way of small plastic boxes in the Bush. This time we are caching as F1HICKS being made up of FMZ, Paultaps, 11HPG11, kiwis69, HKCB, iammrwalker, Cats&Dragons.

This was always going to be a long and interesting day, possibly due to the many little sidebars that we took to find other caches nearby as it seemed a shame to pass them up. By the end of the day we had covered approx 15-16kms through some very different landscapes than what we normally find in the Waikato.

This was the first of the along the trail and it is always good to sit in someone elses lounge as then you don't have to clean up the mess, nice location a little off trail and a great spot to start out in the Parahaha Valley
Thanks for the placement

I was meant to be elsewhere, but this trip had been planned for a while. I almost pulled out in favour of race team responsibilities, but really glad I joined the team of 11HPG11, HKCB, iammrwalker, Cats&Dragons, kiwis69 and Paultaps. Had not been out for a good long hike in quite a while so this circuit definitely took its toll on my legs - not so much on the day, but 3 days afterwards I'm still feeling it in my thighs.

Our route took us down Odlins track to the Pararaha Stream where we turned off and headed downstream stopping off at various caches along the way. We stopped for lunch at the campground at the bottom and then swam across the swamp to the Pararaha Point Pa cache. Then, while some went for Baldy, the rest of us went up the Zion Hill track and spent a while chilling out at Zion's Pool where we waited for the others to join back up. From there we continued up to Mt Zion, and then onwards down to Karekare.

This was the first cache on our walk and a brief stop after the descent into the valley down all those steps, and before heading down the stream. TFTC!!!

Another Hamilton mission, with some crazy keen cachers. Today I teamed up with FMZ, myself, HKCB, Iammrwalker, Catsanddragons, Kiwis69 to form the team F1HICK. We were also kept company by the wonderful guide/guinea pig Paultapps.

This was the second cache for me today and it was a bit of a group find. Nice little spot, beats sitting at home on the lounge suite (which is what my sunday consisted of, my legs were a little sore)

One of twenty or so finds during an amazing day out in the Waitakeres today in the company of FMZ, 11hpg11, HKCB, IamMrWalker, Cats&Dragons and our tour guide, Paultaps, on our 15-16km circuit which, with a bit of car shuffling, saw us start off at Odlin’s track, drop into the Parahara gorge, find our way down the stream into Parahara Bay for a bite of lunch before a crazy part-wade, part-swim adventure through the swamps and then wound our way back to Karekare via the lower end of Buck Taylor track, with a few brave souls in the group taking the more direct route up and over Baldy, and then up and over Mt Zion on the the Zion Hill track.

As usual, Cats&Dragons had done most of the planning for the day’s caching mission, this time aided and abetted by Paultaps, and I was just naively following along. I’ve long since learnt not to ask too many questions when missions like this are being planned, other than maybe getting a rough idea of where we're going. I’ve found it better, with my somewhat cautious nature, not to know exactly what crazy adventure I’ve signed up to although I know from past experiences that a day with this caching crew means I’m going to get muddy, wet, tired, sore, covered in enough scratches and bruises for muggle friends to wonder if I’ve been attacked and that I’ll have a massive amount of fun in the process. Today was no exception: explored so many awesome spots that I would never have visited on my own, with such amazing scenery, fantastic company and a lot of laughs along the way. A day I won’t forget in a long time. Good times!

As is becoming the norm on our group caching trips, we chose an abbreviation of our caching names to save on log-book space and, if we’re honest, coz it’s also part of the fun debating which sequence of everyone’s initials to use: finally settled on 1HICK for the motley crew from the mighty Tron plus or minus an F, as and when required for our brave Auckland accomplice.

This was the first find of the day for me and I was 'tail-end Charlie' to reach GZ so I didn't have time to relax and enjoy Odlin's comfortable looking seat, as the group was chomping at the bit to head on down the trail. TFTC and thanks for all the fun, Paultaps!

Out for another mission with 11HPG11, Kiwis69, Cats&Dragons, IamMrWalker, with Paultaps and FMZ. Funnily this mission was devised when we were last up here taking on multiple high terrain caches earlier in the month. All up it was a fantastic day out, about 15km's covered, a few stream swims and a swamp dealt with and a summit conquered, so the beer at the end of the day was well earned. The logs were signed F1HICK.

Still earlier in the day with this being our 2nd find of the day, so no need for a lounge around at this stage. No trouble with the find as it does make it easy with multiple eyes looking, and the fact that the CO lead us straight to GZ.

This cache was found on another memorable 'mission' in the company of fellow Hamiltonians 11hpg11, HKCB, CatsandDragons, Kiwi69 and Aucklanders Funkymonkeyzone and Paultapps. We signed the logs (F)1HICK to save on log space and as its become a custom for us to try and come up with anachronisms for our trips together.

This trip came about after Zorgon told 11hpg11 and I about one of his most memorable/ favorite days Geocaching in this area. A suggestion here and there and before you know it C&D had organised us to replicate that trip and had expanded on it. I was new to the area and was blown away by how amazing it was. I really enjoyed the variety in the tracks, views and locations. It was a long, challenging day in which we collected in excess of 20 caches, 10 of those T4 (or higher) and it took me out of my comfort zone which also made it one of the most memorable. Experiences like these are best shared and I was lucky enough to do so with a great bunch of people.

This cache took us past a sign which included the name of my Geocaching handle which I took as a good omen for the day. With so many searches (and one or two who had already previously found the cache) locating it was a quick exercise. Amusingly I tried to keep my feet dry crossing the stream nwhich seems ridiculous now knowing now what was ahead.

Short detour before heading back to the car after a lovely afternoon coming up the stream

Thought I would grab this one as I passed it in the course of my work. Took me longer than I was hoping and almost gave up as my GPS was leading me in circles but tried one more time and got it. Cache was half full of water so emptied it out but didnt replace it so deep to prevent it sitting in a pool of water.

Very discreet find, almost overlooked it, what an amazing 'seat'. TFTC.

out on a wild caching mission with vistra and natoritia, passing by .. day slipping away in to the shadows so we made a very succesful day a wrap with a quick lounge...although a little prickly....l;-)

Out for a hike today with Alligatorsnz and Natoratia. After picking up Grecian 200 and Baldy 223 we then took a 'short cut' down to Pararaha stream, picked up a couple of other caches and made our way up the stream, through some interesting and sometimes challenging terrain! After a short hunt around the likely feature was spotted and the cache soon found. TFTC!

GPS led me around in circles for a bit, but got there eventually
TFTC

Quick find together with one of the 2hopefuls during a Waitakere training walk for Oxfam Trailwalker.
TNLNSL, TFTC

Out for a spot of eel watching in the Parahaha ourselves, took the clue a little too literally, and took a while to spot what was really meant by it. Cache full to the brim with water though the log book was safe in its bag.

TFTC

It's been a long time since I've made this walk down the Pararaha valley, so looking forward to it. Surprising there were no cars in the car park - looks like it will be a quiet day. T4TC - M@

Found with the Pararaha gorge walk group. Had a lot of fun finding these caches, and walking in the interesting terrain.
TFTC

Present at placement then revisit with the MEGA Pararaha walk. No time for lounging around with a big walk ahead for this day. T4TC

From having lived in Auckland for 4 years over 30 years ago I was keen to get back out to the Waitakere Ranges and do some caching as well when I was planning to come to the Auckland NZ MEGA. With the opportunity to go on an organised Gorge Walk (pre-Mega) this was the chance. We had a great crew, and good leaders. This was our first cache for the day, and a 'virgin one' at that, so a Joint ** FTF **.
I saw some trackables, so will try to log a Discovery on them.
Brought through for mileage: 3 Bros, Aust Light Houses, BEAGLE BIXBY, B 2 B ingot, BROWN BEAR 15, Coin of Danmark, CRDAVIS-Scottish Thistle Geocoin, Fishing Bell TB, GoLeo Travel Bug Dog Tag, Iconic Bridges, land rover TB, Lil' Miss TB, cache critters Baa, Neigh Neddy, and Oink, PAP, Rienan TB, Spooky, steben6's DNF Duo - Super Cacher Geocoin, Trakabulldog geocoins, and trackable shirt.
TFTC Paultaps (and for the leadership down the gorge)

What great start to a full days adventure! Start of tramp in great company and new cache to find [^] No time to relax at the lunge though as only at the start of the track with more adventures awaiting TFTC!!!

25/10/2013 8:54:00 AM
3391
My mega NZ MEGA 2013 Trip!! Split into two halves - first, the journey up, and then the second half was the actual MEGA time.

This was the second half. After relocating a rental car to get up here, I now had 6 days in Auckland.
Friday was spent on the Pararaha Gorge guided walk. An epic as day out, finding some extremely epic and fun caches!! I love these higher terrain ones!!

First one of the trip, and an epic FTF for the lot of us! Great way to start off a fun day

Sorry about the not as epic logs - but otherwise I would still be logging till Christmas - and that's Christmas 2014 I mean! Haha.

TFTC!!

First in New Zealand, Farthest South and Farthest East at the time with the FTFing Group. Parkoured over a rock in the stream so still had dry shoes though that would not hold till the next cache. TFTC!

I am logging this find as part of Rambler's Reward Challenge Cache (GC2XBA7).

This entry was edited by /dev/gc0c on Wednesday, 30 October 2013 at 22:37:17 UTC.

Reperio at 0855. Joint *FTF* with the Pararaha Gorge to Karekare Beach walking group.

Having missed the chance to go for a decent walk at the last NZ Mega, there was no way I was going to miss out this time...especially when I saw that a walk along the Pararaha Gorge/Karekare Beach was on the menu. We met at the car park at approximately 0800, and we soon arrived at this one a short while later. Little did I know at the time that this was a newly published cache, so it was an extra bonus on what was already shaping up as a fantastic day.

Big thanks to Paultaps, Greenblat and evilno9 for organising and leading the walk.

Gratias Paultaps.

Juhu FTF with the Mega Group today on our first cache along this beautiful Track.
I Joined last minute the Mega Group Heading out to Pararaha Gorge/Karekare Beach. And oh boy did I learn a lot today. E.g.
Walking the whole day with new & watery shoes is not bad, I am not afraid of heights, I gained hands on experience about rock climbing and that swimming in a very gold stream could lead to hypothermia. Thanks to Paul and Alan for organising and thanks to the whole group helping me along the way... TFTC

This entry was edited by alpenmilch80 on Friday, 25 October 2013 at 18:35:43 UTC.

Had the chance to come and help out Alan and Paul today with the walk and as I never need a second chance to come out jumped at the chance to spend a Friday in the bush with some like minded types.

Nice easy start for us here which made for a good warm-up for what was to come once we got into the water. Good fun and a FTF for us as well - TFTC

Published

TB Drop

Adding a belated Favourite. Thanks again!